1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for collating cans and other articles of circular section into required patterns or configurations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is a requirement of many can-handling plants that at certain stations of such plants a large number of cans shall be rapidly and accurately collated into required forms. Despite the regularity in the size and shape of cans and similar containers, many attempts have been made to provide successful, but simple apparatus which will collate a large number of cans accurately into a required form, such as circular.
Collating apparatus has been proposed which involves a plurality of separate, parallel-extending, conveyor belts which lead a succession of cans to a stop which may, for example, be circular or semi-circular. However, this prior apparatus suffers from defects in that the collated pattern is not always as desired. If cans are arranged in aligned rows extending at 90.degree. to one another, the voids between the cans are substantially larger than if the cans are arranged so that the rows lie at approximately 60.degree. to one another or in other words so that any three cans are so arranged that each can is partially "nested" between the other cans of the three. The term "nested" will be used herein to refer to this arrangement.